Louisville is the top seed in the NCAA tournament after a topsy-turvy season in college basketball, capped by another round of upsets over the weekend.

That other team from the Bluegrass State won't even get a chance to defend its national title.

While the Big East champion Cardinals surged to the top of the 68-team bracket released Sunday, joined by fellow No. 1 seeds Kansas, Indiana and Gonzaga, the school that won it all a year ago was left out of the field. Kentucky was hoping the committee would overlook a dismal performance in the Southeastern Conference tournament, but the Wildcats had to settle for a spot in the second-tier National Invitation Tournament.

"You've got to earn it each and every year," said Mike Bobinski, the Xavier athletic director who chaired the selection committee.

As if that's not bad enough for Kentucky fans, Louisville (29-5) gets to rub a little more salt in its rival's wounds by opening the tournament about 75 miles from campus on Kentucky's home court, Rupp Arena in Lexington. The Cardinals will face either Liberty or North Carolina State in a second-round game Thursday. Kentucky plays an NIT game Tuesday -- on the road because Rupp is taken for the NCAAs -- at Robert Morris.

I didn't see another NCAA basketball tourney thread yet. And I couldn't help myself, since my alma mater (the University of Louisville) earned the # 1 seed overall, and that other school in the state, the "defending champions," did not make the tournament.

Congratulations (gulp!) to your Cards. (Oh my, how difficult that is to wish congrats to a Cards fan - haha) However, my March Madness interest isn’t quite the same, as it typically each year, as my team didn’t quite make it in this year (very rare!) - as I bleed blue. My team - the #1 National Champions of 2012 - Kentucky Wildcats -didn’t even “show up” this year. (sigh) But, we’ll be back, next year - watch out!!

I feel your pain. On the merits, they did not deserve to get in. However, even with Noel out, they still have so much talent that if they could ever get their act together, they have the potential to put together a 3-4 game run in the tourney. That's the problem with one-and-dones..On the other hand, I must rejoice, because it means that

Ashley Judd is depressed!!

FYI..there was much speculation that UK would get in, simply because Wildcat fans travel. Attendance at some of the first round games has been pathetic recently, so some thought the committee might put them through. Personally, had they got in, they'd be in one of the first round play-in games, and that would somehow be beneath Kentucky, given their pedigree...and imagine if they actually went and LOST a play-in game?..Nope, it's better that they're out..

6
posted on 03/18/2013 5:26:35 AM PDT
by ken5050
("One useless man is a shame, two are a law firm, three or more are a Congress".. John Adams)

I have no problem with Louisville as #1 seed. They earned it, winning both the Big East regular season and tournament. What’s ironic is that because the committee no longer uses the “S” curve, your Cards are in what is by far the toughest bracket. They’d have been far better off getting seeded 2,3, or even 4..

8
posted on 03/18/2013 5:29:41 AM PDT
by ken5050
("One useless man is a shame, two are a law firm, three or more are a Congress".. John Adams)

I think what they are saying is it is one of the most competitive/balanced years ever hence one of the best. The teams at the top are pretty much equal, say the first 12 or so. The drop off to between 12 and 37 is not all that much either so it looks as if any team inside the 10 seeds has a shot to take it all although history says otherwise. Upsets will come from those above the 9 too. So, with the exception of the 16 seeds, who play the 1s out of the box, any team could go to the round of 32 and not be a complete shock. Interestingly, the point production seems down this year too, so games will be closer as the focus seems to be on defense, or perhaps not many great offensive players?. Cannot wait for the shot to begin.

I think you are exactly right. It would have been just as good for us to get a # 2 seed this particular season. We are working on our “revenge tour” now: We avenged losses to Villanova, Notre Dame and Syracuse in the Big East tournament. Now it would be complete if we meet and defeat Duke in the elite eight round.

13
posted on 03/18/2013 5:52:40 AM PDT
by RonPaulLives
(I won't be a neo-pawn in the game.)

I actually think Louisville has one of the easier brackets. If you can get past the names on the uniforms, Duke and Michigan State have not impressed me at all. Saint Louis has been impressive lately, but I don’t know if they have enough to get past UL.

The only other team I see winning it all, and it is a suprise team that could do the very same is Gonzaga.

I'm so proud of the young men that represent my alma mater. My youngest son & I took the opportunity to see them play (and narrowly defeated) Oklahohma State in Stillwater.

There was one thing that jumped out at me after the game: they're a group of the most down-to-earth men I've ever seen. They enjoyed taking pictures with a few of the fans that hung around to greet them after the game. The first one's my son & Kelly Olynyk, followed by Elias Harris.

I know we haven't played Kansas (yet), but we're 5-0 against the Big 12 so far this year. I like our chances...if you focus too much on Kelly, Elias will make you pay. Pangos and Bell are genuine 3 point threats, and Mike Hart will drive the opponent crazy with his offensive rebounding and defensive skills. Our bench is deep, and we've been tested at very tough venues.

21
posted on 03/18/2013 6:03:17 AM PDT
by Night Hides Not
(The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)

There is no stand out dominate team this year. Any one of 10 teams could potentially win this year.

Just 10? I think you could make a case for any of the top 4 seeds in each bracket. After watching some of the analysis last night, I'm really disliking the B1G, Big-10 whatever the heck you want to call it.

I know, my Zags lost to Illinois at home earlier in the year, but we've been playing pretty good ball the last 3 months, with the exception of the last 5 seconds at Butler. That loss may have helped the team forge its identity, drew them closer together. We've gone 14-0 since that point.

Not to be repetitive, but we're also 5-0 against the Big 12.

25
posted on 03/18/2013 6:09:24 AM PDT
by Night Hides Not
(The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)

My alma mater Ohio State has avenged every loss thus far this season except for their loss at Duke and against Kansas at home (and we lost to Kansas last year in the Final Four). We’ve won 8 games in a row including 2 wins against Michigan State and 1 win against Indiana in Bloomington.

The 2 hottest teams going into the NCAA tourney are Louisville and Ohio State. Look for them to make it to Atlanta.

26
posted on 03/18/2013 6:11:09 AM PDT
by Hotlanta Mike
("Governing a great natiorn is like cooking a small fish - too much handling will spoil it." Lao Tzu)

I thought they put entirely too much emphasis on Noel, and the lamentations of woe at his injury.

Are you kidding? The guy WAS going to be the #1 pick in the NBA draft... he's STILL probably be a top 5 pick. He was a FORCE on the inside, especially on defense. And the scary part is: he was still IMPROVING almost every game.

WITH Noel, UK was an interesting team... still not "great", by any stretch... but, scary, and getting better. And they clearly WOULD have made the tournament.

Without Noel?? They're still decent... until Caulley-Stein goes out with foul trouble.... Then, they become awful.

Not many teams in the country could lose a player like Noel without being hurt... for Kentucky? His loss was devastating.

32
posted on 03/18/2013 6:50:56 AM PDT
by SomeCallMeTim
( The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them)

I'll bet our guys hope to get another shot at Ohio State. We acquitted ourselves well in last year's tournament, and we don't have any freshmen in our 7-10 man rotation.

Slight correction...Karnowski (7'0", 300+ lbs) is a freshman. That is one big boy...I need to track down the photo I snapped of him & my son. He'll give us some productive minutes if we get in foul trouble.

He'll be the 4th big in the rotation, behind Sam Dower. Currently the 4/5 rotation is Harris/Olynyk/Dower, while the 1-3 rotation is Pangos/Bell/Hart/Stockton/Barham.

33
posted on 03/18/2013 6:55:15 AM PDT
by Night Hides Not
(The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)

I was at that Gonzaga v. OSU game, too. I kept hoping my Cowboys would get it done but they still hadn’t gelled the way they did later in the season to defeat KU. However, I don’t begrudge Gonzaga anything as I always enjoy watching them. I first got to see them in person in Las Vegas at a holiday tournament where the Cowboys were also playing against another team. It was a good night of basketball and I was able to return to the casino sports book to collect winnings on all three games I had bet that evening. I took the over on the Gonzaga game, the Cowboys laying the points, and whoever OU played that night. It was the only time I bet in a sports book.

35
posted on 03/18/2013 7:18:20 AM PDT
by T-Bird45
(It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)

Y'all made a LOT of noise for a game that wasn't sold out (NY's Eve). I can see why very few teams beat you at home.

Unlike some places I've been, your fans were great, and we had some good natured kibbitzing during the game. Hopefully, Marcus Smart will hang around for one more year, but I suspect that he and Kelly Olynyk will be lottery picks.

37
posted on 03/18/2013 7:28:22 AM PDT
by Night Hides Not
(The Tea Party was the earthquake, and Chick Fil A the tsunami...100's of aftershocks to come.)

Louisville better hope they don’t have a night where the officials call the game tighter than normal. UL fouls more than any team in the NCAA with their press, they just don’t get called for it. One game with things called right and they will be in trouble.

Bwahahaha! Good one, although not original; I have heard that a few times from disgruntled, bitter UK fans. I will agree that the NCAA tournament is called a lot closer than the Big East tournament. But to say that U of L commits “more fouls than any other team, and don’t get called for it” is absurd.

43
posted on 03/18/2013 7:56:22 AM PDT
by RonPaulLives
(I won't be a neo-pawn in the game.)

With an undergraduate enrollment of nearly 50,000, one would think that THE Ohio State University could find 10 good ballplayers. ;)

Certainly the school can recruit quality players, but it also loses players to Big Ten rivals (Trey Burke @ Michigan and Adrian Payne @ Michigan St are both from Ohio). This year’s team is less talented offensively than last year’s squad, which reflects well on the job that Coach Thad Motta has done navigating this season.

If you take his success at OSU together what he accomplished at Butler and Xavier, plus the assistant coaches who have worked under him who have since moved on to become head coaches, he has acquitted himself very well among his peers.

50
posted on 03/18/2013 9:55:19 AM PDT
by Hotlanta Mike
("Governing a great natiorn is like cooking a small fish - too much handling will spoil it." Lao Tzu)

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